Georgia families call on lawmakers to pass police accountability bills

ATLANTA (WUPA) – Georgia lawmakers have introduced payments that, if handed, would maintain police accountable in alleged brutality circumstances, and households are rallying behind the hassle.

Numerous tales of alleged police brutality are echoing throughout the nation, together with the latest headlines drawing consideration to the case of Tyre Nichols. Many circumstances in Georgia have gained nationwide consideration, and the grieving households of males killed by police on this state are hoping to stop extra names from making the headlines.

Relations and advocates are demanding that state lawmakers go laws holding officers accountable. 

“We’re right here to assist each other. We’re right here to maneuver and attain out to legislators,” stated Jimmy Hill, the daddy of Jimmy Atcheson.

Atcheson was shot and killed in 2019 when officers tried to serve an arrest warrant that his household says was unwarranted. Former APD Officer Sung Kim was indicted in December 2022 and is going through homicide fees.

Democratic lawmakers joined the Georgia NAACP throughout a press convention on Thursday the place they introduced the proposed police accountability payments. These embody: 

• Home Invoice 107, or the Police Accountability Act. This may require all legislation enforcement companies to supply a body-worn digicam to each officer and require such physique cameras be turned on throughout interactions with the general public. It will additionally require the general public launch of sure video and audio recordings captured by body-worn cameras. 
• Home Invoice 112, or the Moral Policing Act. This would supply extra procedures and necessities for legislation enforcement officers and companies with a view to guarantee “moral policing” in Georgia and set new requirements for policing in Georgia legislation. 
• Home Invoice 113, or the Stopping Tragedies Between Police and Communities Act. This measure would require police departments to supply de-escalation coaching to legislation enforcement officers. Particularly, this laws would require coaching on the usage of different, non-lethal strategies and first utilizing the bottom stage of essential pressure. Police would additionally make the most of verbal and bodily techniques to attenuate the necessity for the usage of pressure. 
• Home Invoice 115, or the Finish Racial Profiling Act, would prohibit racial profiling by legislation enforcement officers and legislation enforcement companies.

Democratic lawmakers are hoping for bipartisan assist with a view to go these police accountability payments, they usually’re additionally urging federal lawmakers to go the George Floyd Policing Act.

Advocates say it took years to go the hate crimes invoice that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into legislation after Ahmaud Arbery’s dying, they usually’re hoping he’ll do the identical with these payments.

When contacted about these police reform measures, Kemp’s workplace stated, “Out of respect for the legislative course of, it’s our follow to not touch upon pending laws.”

Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs stated Georgia wants to guide the nation by being proactive and never reactive. 

“This isn’t about being anti-law enforcement. It is about being pro-justice,” he stated.

Lawmakers stated being pro-justice additionally means giving legislation enforcement officers a voice within the course of by conversations. As for the households, their march for justice continues.